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BENGUET | Zen at Burnham Park’s Orchidarium

Saturday, February 23, 2013

I was ready for a change of scenery after shooting Baguio City’s Panagbenga Festival. It was beautiful but chaotic; I was stressed out and almost wished I didn’t bring my cameras along. I think I would’ve enjoyed it better if I simply watched the whole thing without shooting a single image.

As the street dancing moved towards the city bowl, we gravitated towards the opposite direction. I just wanted to get away from the maddening crowd; I didn’t imagine Baguio City can be as cramped as this. H said she wanted to see some flowers and I immediately knew where to go, to Burnham Park’s Orchidarium we went.

In complete contrast to the stressful festival shoot, which is a first for me by the way, photographing flowers is simply relaxing. I’m not really a flower-shooter kind of photographer but I have to say that it does make you slow things down and appreciate the details of your subject.

We couldn’t have picked a better place after the chaos of the Panagbenga Festival. Burnham Park’s Orchidarium was absolutely perfect in soothing my frayed nerves after experiencing Baguio City’s premier fiesta for the first time. I got my own quiet flower festival right here. Zen!

I didn't even know there is an orchidarium in Baguio, but given its climate, I shouldn't be surprised. My husband and I should visit it next time we go up. Sorry to hear about your frayed nerves at the festival. I've always wanted to see the street dancing (and not just in Baguio), but I hate crowds so I've never really pushed it.